I love sunsets and we seem to get great ones here in the spring, like the one I captured last night at the stable.
But what really says "spring" is the emerging of farm equipment. That means spring plantings. And that same sunset is reflected in the window of this John Deere tractor:
Sharing with Mary and her Thursday Inspiration where this week's theme is Spring. I'm sure my interpretation of Spring is a little different today!
I normally don't do this sort of thing here on the blog, and I'll admit - I didn't view all the Superbowl ads, but I could watch these two over and over.
The Budweiser Clydesdale "Brotherhood" ad. Yes, it makes me cry each time I watch it. I've linked the extended version below, because there's more horsey goodness to see (and more Landslide):
Ram Trucks Super Bowl Commercial "Farmer". A moving tribute to farmers - a circa 1978 speech by Paul Harvey accompanied by still photographs of the prairie, farmers and their families. I love the photography and the message:
What were your favorites?
We were treated to a quintessential fall day last Saturday - bright sun, a bit of wind and downright crisp temperatures. It is Fall, after all [I know, after 80degF on Thursday, 50 degF feels a bit chilly, especially with that northerly wind].
I dropped off my daughter at the horse barn, was listening to the college football game on the radio and decided to venture off my normal route, onto the untraveled (by me, anyways) country roads.
The country roads here are numbered - County Road 1400 North, County Road 1250 East, for example. When these roads cross into the city limits, they are renamed to something more "personable", like Main Street or Washington Ave. Since we live in the city limits, we know the roads from their city names, not their generic county road designation. Not that it really matters - everything is arranged in a grid heading north-south or east-west. So I knew I wouldn't get lost in a cornfield in the middle of nowhere as I turned off my normal route...
And what did I pass by? Some cool barns - barns I've admired from a distance ('cause on the prairie, you can see forever) and barns I'd never seen before. I even ran across a cemetery, but I'm saving that for Halloween....
This barn had a Historic Farm sign at the foot of the driveway. I didn't stop long enough to read it thoroughly, but I think this farm has been in operation for over 100 years.
Growing up, I thought all barns were red. Now I know better - white seems to be the most common around here.
Of course, there is that classic white and red, too:
I'm glad I took that little diversion - a mere 10 minutes on a perfect fall day.
Linked to Barn Charm, of course!
This cat is our new friend - he is a constant companion as I roam the barn, always curious as to my comings and goings.
Just walk along the fence, aka the Cat Walk.
Linked to This or That Thursday.
Many moons ago, I got in the habit of posting my camera phone pictures on Friday - it was an easy was to end the week. I'm not sure why I got away from the practice, but I think it's time to start up again. Because I'm having a ton of fun with my new iPhone 4s camera.
My self imposed "rules":
The picture must be taken by a camera phone (duh)
The photo must have been taken in the past week
I can edit the photo using various photo apps on my phone. No importing to the PC for post processing. (trying to keep things simple).
This week's selections - stuff I see during my everyday commute to and from work / school, etc.
You might think driving along the prairie is boring. But for some reason, it was really pretty this week.
Bringing in the Harvest
The Start of Another Indian Summer Day
We had rain Wednesday night into Thursday morning. But Thursday afternoon, the skies started to clear.
I love the white barn in the picture above. I take its picture often.
This morning, I was running late to work (the kids didn't have school, so I ended up dawdling around the house for too long). I was just leaving the subdivision, but stopped, parked the car and got out to capture the fog creeping along the slough that runs through our neighborhood.
Another shot of the white barn, this time in the morning as the sun was rising.
I post most of my photos through Instagram, but I also use the Camera+ and PhotoShop Express apps to process them before uploading. I love that I can share them easily.
Do you take a lot of pictures with your phone? If so, I'd love to see them!
Do you take multiple exposures of the same general scene?
I admit I do, although I'm trying to reduce the number of "retakes" in an effort to "get it right the first time".
I normally shoot a frame then check the preview (yes, I "chimp"). But recently I have been focusing on the Histogram, to check my exposure.
I find landscapes to be quite challenging - expose for the sky and the land is too dark. Expose for the land and the sky is blown.
I tend to prefer the first option because I know I can bring out the detail during post processing, using the Fill Light Slider in Lightroom.
When I first shot this general scene, the sky was blown. So I adjusted my exposure and brought the viewfinder back to my eye. Lo and behold - something new wandered into the scene.
So I'm glad I messed up the first exposure because the second shot is so much more interesting - you'll just have to believe me because I deleted the first shot.
And why did the chicken cross the road?
To meet up with the rest of his family!
Linked up to This or That Thursday, hosted by Deb Duty.
Sunday evening, we experienced a unique treat - dinner on the prairie with friends.
Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery is an organic farm, promoting sustainability and locally sourced food. In addition to peaches, apples, berries, and other produce, they raise goats and make their own cheeses.
A couple years ago, they started offering Dinners on the Farm, featuring locally sourced food, served outside along backdrop of the farm and prairie.
We were invited to last Sunday's dinner and while we didn't dine outside (they have a pole barn now for the chillier weather), it was a wonderful experience.
We arrived an hour before dinner, to enjoy hors d'oeuvres and a tour of the farm and gardens. It was a perfect fall evening, a light breeze and warm for the end of October.
This is the dining area for the outdoor dinners. We are going to have to come back next season.
We got to see the goats. Lisa is the one responsible for arranging tonight's dinner. She's a great friend (and loves the goats).
We roamed around the gardens, encouraged to nibble from the plants. We gathered around these tomato plants and ate them right off the vine - there's nothing better than sweet cherry tomatoes.
Especially with some wine.
With the sun setting, we gathered inside for dinner. Tonight's menu - salad course with fresh goat cheese, honey-fried chicken, shells and cheese, braised broccoli and pecan tart for dessert.
Lively conversation ensued.
A lovely evening out with friends.
Oh yeah, after stuffing ourselves, we bought some fresh gelato and goat cheese. It's all gone now.
Linked to Wordful Wednesday at Parenting by Dummies and Seven Clown Circus
Linked to Wordless Wednesday
I can tell Spring is around the corner - the days are warmer and the cool of night causes fog and mist to form in the morning.
The sun tries to burn it off, but the morning sun isn't strong enough.
With the start of Daylight Savings Time, I drive to work an hour earlier, but that means I get to see more of that morning sun.
Exposure 1/8000 sec
Aperture f/3.5
Focal Length 36 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure 1/6400 sec
Aperture f/3.5
Focal Length 70 mm
ISO Speed 200
Exposure 1/8000 sec
Aperture f/3.5
Focal Length 70 mm
ISO Speed 200
The farm / park about a half mile from the house.
I used a texture from ShadowHouse Creations' Rustic Art Collection to emphasize the coolness of the snow.
The rains are coming tonight and I don't expect the snow to last at 50degF. So we enjoy it while we can. I hope you have a wonderful night!
It's the end of August. I'm hoping for some cooler weather!
But on Sunday, I enjoyed a chocolaty, whipped yogurt.
Truthfully, at first I was grossed out by the concept of the "whipped yogurt". Eww. My paradigm - yogurt should be thick, rich and creamy. But the chocolate whipped yogurt is like a mousse. And tastes like it. It's my new favorite dessert.
Monday, August 30 - another baseball game, this one at Travis Field, out by the cornfields. The farmers have started the harvest process already.
Summertime, and the inevitable road construction.
What? No orange cones or road work signs? That's because they are off to the right, and I chose to look out to my left to take some pictures. Because I was completely stopped.
I might have to take the local highway instead of the Interstate Highway tomorrow. Then again, I might get caught behind a big combine then....
Because of the super warm April, many farmers have planted their corn and are working on the beans. Contrast this to last year, when many of the crops didn't go in until June.
We didn't see rows like this so early.
I shot this on the way to work today. I actually pulled off the highway onto a lesser traveled road, instead of shooting randomly out my window. The clouds were very active today, with the cold front that blew in last night (and continued all day long).
Today's post inspired by Develop on Fridays' post on Catching the Light.
Develop on Fridays is a great creative and technical resource for those developing their photography.
Go out and seize the light this week!
A bit of my morning commute this morning. Fog seems standard when our daytime temperatures tip over 60 and the nighttime lows dip into the 30s. With Daylight Savings time in effect, I head down the highway as the sun starts to rise above the fields.
The sun burned off most of the fog quickly, but left a soft, misty film that allowed the morning sun to cast its golden hue along the highway.
What did you see driving around today? If you look for beauty, you will find it, even along the road.
Surrounded by the flat prairie landscape, I've come to appreciate the vast openness of the fields, punctuated by an occasional farm or barn. Since I am surrounded by these fields, I've managed to take many pictures of the prairie and the barns:
Spring is just around the corner and these brown fields will soon be dotted with tractors and combines, then with the emergence of little green sprouts. The prairie always changing.
For more mosaics, visit Mary at Little Red House. She hosts Mosaic Monday there.
Yesterday's ample sunshine and blue skies lit up the prairie in the late afternoon. I was at the horse stable, where I saw the moon above the tree.
Hope your Saturday afternoon is sunny and serene!
Grain trucks continue to line up at the local elevator. 
I am often asked questions and comments about my photography - what location, what camera, what settings, etc. The camera question aside (i...
A chemical engineer working in IT, Wife to Scott, Mom to two great kids + two cats, one horse and numerous fish. Photographer, marathoner, musician, yogi and gourmet cook. I don't think there is time for more, but I'm sure I missed something!
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